Hydrocarbon burner



March-31, 1925. v 1,531,587

E. F. WHITE HYDROCARBON BURNER Filed Sept. '7, 1923 3 A Xg MMM PatentedMar. 31, 1925.

EZEKIEL FIELD WHITE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PATENT OFFICE.

HYDROCARBON BURNER.

Application filed September 7, 1923-. Serial No. 661,437.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, EZEKIEL FIELD VVHTTE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements inHydrocarbon Burners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to hydrocarbon burners. Y

One object of the invention is to provide a simple arrangement or systemfor preheating liquid hydrocarbon in the presence of some air andatomizing or pulverizing same as it is projected into a combustionchamber or the like.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide simple and efiicent meansto radially and uniformly discharge the preheated.

hydrocarbon and some air outwardly in a thin film in a horizontal planefor producing a flame in the shape of ajdisk'in a combustion chamber anddirected against surfaces to be heated.

Another object is to discharge the hydrocarbon in a thin disk like filminstead of a globular form for'enabling the particles o f liquidhydrocarbon to come in contact with a main'body of fresh air passingthrough said film for insuring a uniform mixture throughout the mass andconsequent uniform combustion of the charge.

These and other objects are accomplished by means of the arrangementdisclosed on the accompanying sheets of drawings, in which- Figure 1 isa fragmentary vertical sectional view taken through a furnace inwhich myimproved hydrocarbon burner is mounted, some parts being shown in ele-`vation;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through various partsincluding the burner,proper; and

Figure 3 is a plan view -of the slotted disk shown in Figure 2'of thedrawings.

The various novel features of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and drawings and will be particularly pointed outin the appended claims.

Referrlng to the figures of the drawings it will be noted that myimproved hydrocarbon burner is disclosed in connection with a furnace 10in which the ordinary grates are removed and in which a part of thespace normally occupied by the grat-es is Vwithin the combustion chamberof the furnace and on a spider portion 15 of the frame 13.

The burner includes a chamber 16 which receives some reflected heat as aresult of combustion in the combustion chamber. A predetermined amountof hydrocarbon and some air are 4conducted from any suitable sourceunder a pressure of from one to five pounds per square inch in excess ofatmospheric pressure, and projected through a tube 17 at an angleupwardly into said chamber 16 whereby the liquid will be thrown againstthe upper portion of the inner wall of the chamber 16 and therebyseparated, in partV from the air. Upon coming in contact with the warmsurface of the chamberV 16 and while passing downwardly in said chamberthe hydrocarbon, as well as the air, is heated a given amount andrendered more volatile and more easily atomized or pulverized duringlater treatment. Centrally located within the chamber 16 and passingtherethrough is a tube 17 having openings 18 which form communicatingpassageways between said chamber and tube near the bottom of each. Thesmall portion of the hydrocarbon which is not absorbed by the stream ofair at the time said hydrocarbon reaches the bottom of the chamber 16momentarily may settle to the bottom of the chamber 16 and is then blownor passes into the tube 17 through openings 18. Said tube 17 extendsthrough the top or cap 19 of the chamber 16 and also through a bushingnut 20 and has at its upper end a substantial reduction of area causedby an inward tapering of the tube, as shown at 21. Preferably thetapered portion ends in a knife edge. Extending upwardly through thetube 17 is a rod or control member 22 which is threaded at its upper endto receive a nut 23 with a lower horizontally arranged baffle surface 24having operative association with the reduced outlet or dischargeopening of the tube 17. l

It has been found that at certain feed velocities, the part of thehydrocarbon which has not at that time been "absorbed by the stream ofair travels upwardly along and .lin clinging engagement with the innersurface of the tube 17 in the form of a thin film, While the air, whichdrives the hydrocarbon upwardly in said tube 17 travels upwardly throughthe central portion of the space within the tube 17 at ai much highervelocity than the hydrocarbon. blown out of the top of the tube 17 it,with the air passing upwardly through the tube 17, is directed outwardlyin a horizontal plane by the baille nut 24 to spread uniformly in theform of a thin disk-like film toward the surface of the furnace to beheated. The baille nut 24 which is secured to the central member 22 maybe adjusted vertically with said central member 22 for varying the spacebetween the discharge opening of the tube 17 and the nut for varying thevelocity of the hydrocarbon and air by rotating said member 22,'1t' bemgunderstood that the lower portion of the member 22 is provided With athread 25 which cooperates with an internal thread 26 in a downwardlyextending tubular portion of the chamber casing 16. A' bushing nut 27also is provided near the lower end ofthe central member 22. Y

The central member 22 is provided with a disk-like portion 2 8 providedwith 7inclined slots in the periphery thereof. The hydrocarbon and airpassing upwardly through the tube 17 are forced to pass through theslots 29l and as a result thereof are caused to whirl for equalizing thedistribution` of liquid fuel around the 4inner wall of the tube. Bymeans of the complete arrangement herein described, the

eilicient results. Preferably a finely divided hydrocarbon and air whichpass outwardly through the tube 17 are projected horizontally outwardlyin a thm film of combustible -gas which is directed toward the interiorWalls of the furnace to be heated. Due toA the fact that a relativelylargeA volume of relatively high speedair passes upwardly through thetube 17 and acts upon a thin film of hydrocarbon, it is apparent thatJsuch hydrocarbon is thoroughly disintegrated as it is projected fromsaid tube. The main body of combustion supporting air passes upwardlythrough the spider structure 15 and rises 'into the thin film or disk ofoutwardly moving mixture of air and hydrocarbon whereby a uniformmixture'is assured and the charge is completely consumed for producinthe most aille plate l 30 supported on the frame 13 and located belowthe level of the outwardly projected film of hydrocarbon and air, isprovided for controlling, in a measure, -the rising body of air. Thisbaille plate 30, which is circular -in form, has a central opening 31for the passage of air, it being understood that the air also passesoutwardly beyond the outer When the hydrocarbon isA assise? confines ofthe disk 30. By the use of this baille 30, it is found,'that anytendency for the resultant flame to flicker is overcome.

Itv will be understood that the burner is first heated and the producedcombustible mixture ignited by any suitable pilot lighting device 32.

One of the main advantages of this burner over the ordinary nozzle typeof burner is that the combustibles are projected in the form of a thinfilm instead of the globular form which enables the particles of liquidto come into contact with the main body of fresh air which rises upthrough the film and insures a uniform mixture throughout the entiremass and a consequent uniform combustion of the charge. With the nozzletype of burner which produces the globular type of flame with the airfor combustion' on the outside, the particles o'f hydrocarbon on theperiphery of the globular flame receive the oxygen for combustion butthe particles of hydrocarbon inside the globular flame cannot getsufficient oxygen and therefore combustlon is incomplete. This explainswhy all nozzle types of burners`give olf carbon monoxide and soot evenunder the most favorable conditions.

It is my intention to cover all modifications of t-he invention fallingwithin the spirit and scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a hydrocarbon burner, the combination of a chamber having a wall,means for supplying hydrocarbon and air against the inner surface ofsaid wall in said chamber at a pressure in excess of atmosphericpressure whereby some of the hydrocarbon is distributed over the saidinner wall of said chamber to facilitate the volatilization while theair carrying some of the hydrocarbon passes therethrough at ahighervelocity than hydrocarbon clinging to said wall, a tube within saidchamber saving communication therewith and terminating outside thereofin a reduced discharge opening, some of the hydrocarbon which is notabsorbed by air stream being conducted along the inner wall of said tubein a t-hin fihn as a result of the air passing therethrough, a baillemember over said discharge opening whereby the mixture of hydrocarbonand air projected therefrom is directed hori-` zontally outwardly in athin film, and means for supplying aid at an angle to said latter toinsure a uniform mixture and com- 4bustion.

2. In a hydrocarbon burner, the combination of a chamber, means for suplying hydrocarbon and air to said cham r and against the inner wallthereof whereby some .of lthe hydrocarbon is distributed over the innerwall of said chamber to `facilitate volatilizatiomwhile the air carryingsome ofthe hydrocarbon passes therethrough, a

tube within said chamber into which said hydrocarbon and air pass fromsaid chamber, the hydrocarbon which is not absorbed by the air streambeing conducted along the inner wall of said tube in a thin film as aresult of the air passing therethrough, means over the discharge openingof said tube whereby the mixture of hydrocarbon and air projected fromsaid opening is directed horizontally outwardly in a thin film, andmeans for supplying air at an angle to said latter film to insure auniform mixture and combustion.

3. In a hydrocarbon burner, the combination of a chamber, means forsupplying hydrocarbon and air to said chamber at a pressure in excess ofatmospheric pressure, a

' tube within said chamber arranged to receive hydrocarbon and air fromsaid chamber, the hydrocarbon which is not absorbed by the air streambeing conducted along the inner wall of said tube in a thin film by theair as the latter passes therethrough, and means over the dischargeopening of said tube whereby the mixture ofmhydrocarbon and airprojected therefrom is directed horizontally outwardly in a thin film.

4. In a hydrocarbon burner, the combination of a chamber, means forsupplying hydrocarbon and air to said chamber at a pressure in excess ofatmospheric pressure, an open ended tube within said chamber arranged toreceive hydrocarbon and air from said chamber, the hydrocarbon which isnot absorbed by the air stream being conducted along the inner wall ofsaid tube in a thin fllm bythe air as the latter 'passes therethrough,means over the discharge opening of said tube whereby the mixture ofhydrocarbon and air projected therefrom is directed horizontallyoutwardly in a thin film, and means for supplying air at an .angle tosaid latter film to insure uniform mixture and combustion.

5. In a hydrocarbon burner, the combination of a chamber, means forsupplying hydrocarbon and air to said chamber at a pressure in excess ofatmospheric pressure, a tube within said chamber arranged to receivehydrocarbon and air from said chamber, the hydrocarbon which is notabsorbed by the air stream being conducted along the inner wall of saidtube in a thin film by the air as the latter passes therethrough, meansover the discharge opening of said tube whereby the mixture ofhydrocarbon and air projectedtherefrom is directed horizontallyoutwardly in a thin film, and means' within said tube for causing theair and hydrocarbon to take a whirling action.

6. In a hydrocarbon burner, the combination of a plurality of chambersone arranged within the other and having communication therebetween,means for supplying hydrocarbon and air to one of said chambers at apressure in excess of atmospheric pressure whereby the portion of saidhydrocarbon which is not absorbed by the stream of air is conductedalong the inner wall ofthe f other of said chambers in a thin film bythe air as the latter passes therethrough, means associated with anopening of said second chamber whereby the mixture of hydrocarbon andair projected through said opening is directed horizontally outwardly ina thin film, and means for supplying additional air to said latter filmto insure a uniform mixture and combustion.

7. In a hydrocarbon burner, theccombination of a plurality of chambersone arranged within the other and having comwall of the other of saidchambers in a,-

thin film by the air as the latter passes therethrough, means associatedwith an opening ofV said second chamber whereby the mixture ofhydrocarbon and air projected through said opening is directedhorizontally outwardly in a thin film, means within said second chamberfor causing the hydrocarbon and air to whirl as it passes therethrough,and means for supplying additional air to said latt'er film. to insure auniform mixture and combustion. 4

8. In a hydrocarbon burner, the combination of a plurality of chambersone arranged within the other and having communication therebetween,means for supplying hydrocarbon and air to one of said chambers at apressure in excess of atmospheric pressure whereby the portion of saidhydrocarbon which is not absorbed by the stream of air is conductedalong the inner wall of the other of said chambers in a thin lm by theair as the latter passes therethrough, means associated with an openingin said second chamber whereby the mixture of hydrocarbon and airprojected through vsaid opening is directed horizontally outwardly in athin,iilm means for supplying additional air to said latter film toinsure a uniforml mixture and combustion, and means for controlling therestriction of the outlet opening of said second i chamber.-

9. In a hydrocarbon burner, the combination of a chamber having a wall,means for supplying hydrocarbon and air to said chamber and against theinner surface of said wall at a pressure in excess of atmosphericpressure and in adirection whereby some of the hydrocarbon isdistributed over sa'id inner wall of said chamber to facilitate thevolitilization while the air carrying some of the hydrocarbon passestheref discharge opening whereby the mixture of hydrocarbon and airprojected therefrom is directed horizontally outwardly in a thin film,means within said tube for causing air and hydrocarbon passingtherethrough to take a whirling action, and means for supplying air atan angle to said latter film to insure a Auniform mixture andcombustion.

10. In a hydrocarbon burner, the com-- bination of a chamber having awall, means entering Ithe side of said chamber for supplying hydrocarbonand air against the inner surface of said wall of saio.' chamber at apressure'in excess of the atmospheric pressure in a direction andwhereby some of the hydrocarbon is distributed over the inner wall ofsaid chamber to facilitate the volatilization whileair carrying some ofthe hydrocarbon passesitherethrough, a tube within said chamber havingan opening near its lower end by means of which it is inl communicationwith said chamber and having a portion terminating outside sof saidchamber -in a reduced discharge opening, some of the hydrocarbon whichis not absorbed by the stream of air being conducted along the innenIwall or said tube .with respect to said discharge opening,

means within said tube Jfor causing the to take a whirling action nearthe discharge opening of said tube, and means for supplying air at anangle to said latter film to insure uniform mixture and combustion.

11. In a hydrocarbon burner, the combilnation of a tube, means forsupplying air and hydrocarbon to said tubel whereby `the portion of thehydrocarbon which is not absorbed by the stream of air rises in a thinilm along the wall of said tube as a result of the air passing upwardlytherethrough, said tube terminating in a reduced discharge opening, andmeans mounted over said opening for changing the direction of thehydrocarbon and air by an angle of ninety degrees whereby thehydrocarbon( and air is directed horizontally outwardly in a thin film.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 4th day of September, 1923.

EZEKIEL FIELD WHITE.'

hydrocarbon and air passing therethrough

